Results 741-760 of 15,047 for speaker:Helen McEntee

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (27 Feb 2025)

Helen McEntee: I thank the Deputy. The most important thing is that we continue to invest in our schools and support our teachers to be able to provide the best education possible. We know in certain settings that the fewer pupils there are, the more targeted a teacher can be and the greater attention and focus they can give to pupils. In that regard, the Government is investing a record €11.8...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (27 Feb 2025)

Helen McEntee: Thankfully, we have a growing young population and it is important that our investment in our young people and education grows with us. That is why we have seen the capital budget increase and have the highest overall education budget. That has allowed us to make the progress I referenced when it comes to reducing pupil-teacher ratios and increasing the number of teachers. In 2016, the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (27 Feb 2025)

Helen McEntee: I know how important it is for a young teacher to be able to get a permanent contract. It has implications in terms of looking for a mortgage and buying a home or car. It is absolutely vital that teachers can get a permanent contract. I have spoken to the TUI about that this week. I want to make sure that we do everything possible as I develop a new workforce plan to support the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: School Accommodation (27 Feb 2025)

Helen McEntee: I understand the provision of the modular accommodation of the four classrooms was to cater for the immediate need but that it is included and is part of the 18, so the need is 18 and that is the absolute commitment by the Department. It will obviously take time as this will require planning. The most important thing now is we can move on to those stages and then get to construction so...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: School Accommodation (27 Feb 2025)

Helen McEntee: I would be happy to visit and would certainly love to meet the whole school community and see at first-hand the wonderful work that is being done. I stress it is the intention of the Minister of State and I to get to a position where we have the capacity we need for every young child to be able to attend school, to attend a school that is most appropriate for them and that this can be done...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Scoileanna Gaeilge agus Gaeltachta (27 Feb 2025)

Helen McEntee: Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta as an gceist sin a chur. I fully support the important role Gaelscoileanna and Gaelcholáistí play in the promotion of the Irish language. We have committed very clearly in the programme for Government to expand opportunities for pupils and students to attend Gaelscoileanna and Gaelcholáistí, to establish more Gaelscoileanna and...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Scoileanna Gaeilge agus Gaeltachta (27 Feb 2025)

Helen McEntee: It is clear from the statistics we have many more Irish-medium primary schools than post-primary schools. We will be conducting a survey shortly with primary schools to get a clear assessment of whether we have that figure right or whether we need to do more. I want to ensure that will feed into the possible demand and increased need for post-primary schools or Gaelcholáistí. It...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Education Welfare Service (27 Feb 2025)

Helen McEntee: I thank the Deputy. There are often varied and complex reasons why a young person is not in school or needs support from an education and welfare officer. The only way we can deal with this is through everybody working together. That means the schools working with the programmes provided by the Tusla education support service. There is also an opportunity outside of school. I see a real...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Education Policy (27 Feb 2025)

Helen McEntee: Go raibh maith agat, a Theachta, as an gceist sin a chur. As the Deputy rightly mentioned, there is a commitment in the programme for Government to expand opportunities for pupils and students to attend Gaelscoileanna and Gaelcholáistí. I intend to prioritise the publication of a new policy on Irish-medium education outside of the Gaeltacht. The policy, together with an action...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Education Policy (27 Feb 2025)

Helen McEntee: I thank the Deputy. In order to inform the development of the policy, there has been a comprehensive public consultation and it is important that we get the views of all stakeholders who have a say in this. That is key to informing what we do next. One of the issues that has been raised with me regularly relates to the development of Gaelscoileanna and Gaelcholáistí. We need to...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Education Policy (27 Feb 2025)

Helen McEntee: I am committed to ensuring that parents, students and young people have that choice. In our county of Meath, we can see the huge number of developments and, in particular, the number of Gaelscoileanna that have been built in recent years in the south of the county. We also have established Gaeltacht areas, of which we are all proud. When children go to post-primary school, I want them to...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: School Accommodation (27 Feb 2025)

Helen McEntee: I thank the Deputy. The expansion of capacity at special schools is an important priority for me, the Minister of State, Deputy Michael Moynihan and my Department. I know this is an absolute priority for the Deputy and indeed for Councillor Burgess. Both of them have raised this consistently with me. The Deputy raised it when he became a Member of the House and when I entered this...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Education Welfare Service (27 Feb 2025)

Helen McEntee: I acknowledge the work and role of the educational welfare officers who work within the educational welfare service. Their key focus and objective is to ensure every child attends school regularly and receives the minimum education to which he or she is entitled to and deserves. It is a really important role, particularly given that the rate of absenteeism has increased significantly since...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Education Welfare Service (27 Feb 2025)

Helen McEntee: Regarding the 23 vacancies, 34 positions were approved only last year, so there is obviously momentum. I expect the posts to be filled within this year. The vast majority of counties have zero vacancies. My county, Meath, has zero, as do Tipperary, Wexford, Kerry, Mayo, Clare, Kilkenny, Laois, Offaly, Cavan, Roscommon, Monaghan, Carlow, Longford and Leitrim. They have also their...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: School Staff (27 Feb 2025)

Helen McEntee: The Government is fully committed to ensuring that every child has a positive school experience and is supported to reach their full potential. Key to that is making sure we have the teachers, not just at primary level but also at post-primary level, and that teaching staff in schools are qualified, engaged and supported in the work they do. As with all sectors, there are recruitment...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: School Staff (27 Feb 2025)

Helen McEntee: On the Deputy's final question, that work is under way. I hope to see it implemented or progressed in the coming months. I am very aware that while it will not resolve matters, it is will support the provision of additional allocations or teachers. It is very important to me that we do not just support the teachers in schools but also that we have more coming through colleges. I will be...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: School Staff (27 Feb 2025)

Helen McEntee: Perhaps I should have said at the outset that teaching is an attractive career. That is reflected in the fact that there has been a significant increase in the number of people who have applied to become teachers and who have registered with the Teaching Council. The increase of 13% and 17% in both primary and post-primary allocated teaching posts reflects the fact that we committed to...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: School Accommodation (27 Feb 2025)

Helen McEntee: I will outline the capacity that exists in that area. Hansfield Educate Together Secondary School was established for 1,000 pupils. It has 848 pupils enrolled at present. Edmund Rice College, which was established for 1,000 pupils, has 813 pupils enrolled at present. An extension planned for Castleknock Community College will provide approximately 200 additional places. That is...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: School Accommodation (27 Feb 2025)

Helen McEntee: The reason that Ériu Community College is moving back is that there are 1,000 pupils moving out of the Mulhuddart-Tyrellstown area every day to attend other parts of the school. I appreciate the Deputy's point that other parts of the community are expanding and growing. The Department has to plan ahead looking at the data it has and is available. To plan for school provision, you have...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: School Accommodation (27 Feb 2025)

Helen McEntee: -----and finish their schooling in the area they are currently in. Of course, any issues around transport and so on have to be addressed.